Duplicating machine



A. L. DUCKETT DUPLICATING MACHINE June 15 1954 Filed June 2, 1952 June 15, 1954 DUCKETT 2,681,005

DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed June 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED DUPLICATIN G MACHINE Alfred L. Duckett, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada Application June 2, 1952, Serial No. 291,155

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a duplicating machine of the type wherein an ink-carrying printing medium is brought to bear against a sheet of copy paper leaving a reproduction thereon.

The principal object of my invention is to provide means for duplicating through the use of copying ink or the like carried by or stencilled in a master sheet by simple operations and simple mechanism. Specifically, I accomplish this object through the useflof a bed having a raised track on either side thereof. The sheets to-be printed are held in the bed between the tracks by means to be hereinafter more fully described. A body or block having the ink-carrying-printing medium afiixed to its underside is adapted to ride on the tracks. The riding means associated with the block are arranged to fall into slots formed in the track so that the block with its ink-carrying printing medium comes down upon the uppermost of the, copying sheets and leaves an impression thereon.

It is preferred to-use a printing-medium of the type which requires that the ink be moistened before an impression can be obtained. In this event, I provide a moistening roller pivotally attached to the front of the block and arranged to be pushed downwardly against the top sheet of copying paper. Thus, by moistening the top sheet, an impression will be left thereon when the ink-carrying printing medium comes in contact therewith.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the attached drawings taken, in con junction with the following detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the assembled duplicating machine;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the member in which the moistening roller is journailed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

' Figure 4 is a side view of the moistening assemly;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 taken in cross-section, and

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of part of the bed taken alongfithe line ii6 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now' to the drawings in detail, Hi represents the bed on either side of which are formed raised tracks H. In the center of the bed It) between the tracks II is a stack I2 of copying sheets. The stack i2 is held in place by means to be hereinafter described.

A block it is disposed between said tracks and has forward riding means it and rearward riding means it on each side thereof. The means Hi and it which are adapted to ride on the tracks 5 i are shown as pins but may be anti-friction rollers or the like, if desired. At the forward end of each track H is a slot I6 which is adapted to receive each of the forward riding means i4 when the block is pushed forward along the tracks H. The tracks II have slightly lowered portions Ha (see Figure 6) leading to a second pair of slots H which are adapted to receive the rearward riding means l5 when the block is pushed forward along the tracks I l. It-will be understood that the slots I? are spaced from the slots l 6 a distance equal to the distance apart of the riding means I4 and I5.

The block [3 is provided with 'a handle IS on which a pressure bar I9 is hingedly attached at 26. At the forward end of the block is is-a moistening device 2! which is shown in full and sectional elevation in Figures 4 and 5. The moistening device 2| comprises a hollow body or reservoir 22 which is hingedly attached to "the block !3 at 23. One end of a spring-means 26 is attached to the moistening device 2| at 25, and the other end to a bracket 26 mounted on the block [3 so as to give the moistening device 2! a clockwise bias. It will be understood that this biasing arrangement is provided at each end of the moistening device 2|.

Disposed within the hollow body 22 is the moistening agent 27. The moistening agent 21 is fed by gravity through an adjustable valve '28 to a Wick 29. A moistening roller 3!] is journalled in a vertical slot 3! in a member 32 which is hingedly attached to the hollow body 22 at 33. The opening of the valve 28 may be adjusted by manipulation of the valve stem 34 which is threaded in the top of the hollow body 22. A cap 35 is provided in the hollow body 22 to enable replenishing of the moistening agent when necessary.

When no pressure is applied to the pressurebar iii the moistening device 2|, in general, and the moistening roller 30, in particular is held clear of the copying paper 12 by the spring means 24. The amount of this clearance may be adjusted by manipulation of the cylindrical member 35 which is journalled in the hollow body 22. The cylindrical member 36 has formed thereon'a portion 3'5 which is slightly cit-center and this portiontl' rides'in an elliptical hole 38 formed in the member 32. By rotating the cylindrical member 38, the'portion 3i riding in the hole 38 ives an eccentric action which causes "the member 32 to rotate about its pivots 33. In this way, the clearance of the moistening roller 39 from the stack I2 of copying paper may be readily adjusted.

The stack [2 of copying paper is held in position at its rearward end by a spring clip 48 which is shown in Figure 6 and partly in Figure l. The spring clip 40 is fastened to the bed at and is made of spring steel or like material. A rod 42 extends under the unfixed edge of the spring clip 40 and through a slot 43 in each track II. Each extremity of the rod 42 is fastened to a bell crank lever 44. Each bell crank lever it is pivotally fastened to the track II at 45. The forward riding means I4 on the return stroke bears against an end of the bell crank lever 44 causing it to pivot and lift the rod 42 thereby relieving the pressure of the spring clip 40 from the rearward edge of the stack I2 of copying paper. The block is prevented from too much rearward movement by the rearward riding means I5 engaging the stop 46 on each track Ii.

On the underside of the block I3 is afiixed a resilient pad i'i (see Figure 3) and to the underside of the pad 41 is stretched the ink-carrying printing medium 38. The printing medium may be afiixed to the block I3 or pad 41 in any convenient manner.

Operation To operate the duplicating machine of the present invention, the various parts are positioned as shown in Figure 1. The printing medium 48 is afixed to the block I3, and the stack l2 of the copying paper placed under the spring clip 40. The valve stem 34 is adjusted to dispense the moistening agent 2? to the wick 29 at a suitable rate. The clearance of the moistening roller 30 from the stack I2 is adjusted by means of the cylindrical member 36 as hereinbefore described. The handle IB and the pressure bar I9 are grasped with one hand and by squeezing same together, the pressure bar bears on the top of the hollow body 22. This causes the moistening device 2! to rotate about its pivots 23 so that the moistening roller 30 is brought down i2. This forward motion continues with the forward riding means I4 advancing along the tracks I I to the slot I6 and the rearward riding means I5 advancing along the tracks II and Ila to the slots I'I. At this point the riding means I4 and I5 fall into the slots 16 and I1 respectively. The block l3 thus travels vertically downward until the ink-carrying printing medium 48 comes in contact with the moistened top sheet of the stack I2 where a mirror reproduction is left.

The pressure is then released from the pressure bar I9 and the block I3 is lifted upwardly and then pushed rearwardly with the riding means 14 and I5 riding along the tracks II. When the pressure on the pressure bar I9 was released the spring means 24 lifted up and restored the moistening device 2| to its original position so that while the block I3 is pushed rearwardly the moistening roller 30 is clear of the top sheet of the stack I2 and will not smudge the impression that has been left thereon.

iii)

When the forward riding means I4 reaches the upstanding arm of the bell crank lever 34, further rearward movement causes the riding means I4 to rotate the lever 44 about its pivot 45 in a clockwise direction thereby causing the rod 42 to lift the spring clip 40. The top sheet which carries an impression left by the printing medium 48 may then be easily lifted off the stack I2.

The apparatus is now in a condition to make a second duplication. The block I3 may be pushed forward again while at the same time reapplying the pressure to the pressure bar I9 so as to bring the moistening roller 30 into contact with the second sheet of copying paper, and the entire process described above can then be repeated.

It will be understood from the above description that I have provided a duplicating machine which is simple in construction and operation.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block having a first and second means mounted on each side thereof, an ink-carrying printing medium affixed to the underside of said block; each of said first and second means being arranged to ride on one of said tracks; each of said first riding means being spaced from the second riding means on the same side of the block a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first and second downwardly extending slot; each of said first slots being spaced from the second slot on the same track a distance equal to said predetermined distance, and moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end of said block.

2. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block having a first and second means mounted on each side thereof, an ink-carrying printing medium afiixed to the underside of said block; each of said first and second means being arranged to ride on one of said tracks; each of said first riding means being spaced from the second riding means on the same side of the block a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first and second downwardly extending slot; each of said first slots being spaced from the second slot on the same track a distance equal to said predetermined distance, moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end of said block, said moistening means being biased in an upward direction and comprising a hollow body defining a reservoir containing a moistening agent, a moistening roller journalled in said body, and means arranged to feed said moistening agent to said roller.

3. A duplicating machine, comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block having a first and second means mounted on each side thereof, an ink-carrying printing medium aflixed to the underside of said block; each of said first and second means being arranged to ride on one of said tracks; each of said first riding means being spaced from the second riding means on the same side of the block a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first and second downwardly extending slot; each of said first slots being spaced from the second slot on the same track a distance equal to said predetermined distance, moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end of said block, and pressure applying means mounted on the uppermost side of said block and arranged to apply downward pressure to said moistening means.

4. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block having a first and second means mounted on each side thereof, an ink-carrying printing medium affixed to the underside of said block; each of said first and second means being arranged to ride on one of said tracks; each of said first riding means being spaced from the second riding means on the same side of the block a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first and second downwardly extending slot; each of said first slots being spaced from the second slot on the same track a distance equal to said predetermined distance, moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end of said block, pressur applying means mounted on the uppermost side of said block and arranged to apply downward pressure to said moistening means, one end of said pressure applying means being pivotably mounted on the uppermost side of said block whereas the other end engages the upper surface of said moistening means.

5. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet near one end thereof, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block disposed between said tracks and having a first riding means and a second riding means on each side thereof engaging one of said tracks, an ink-carrying printing medium afiixed to the underside of said block; said first riding means and said second riding means being spaced apart a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first downwardly extending slot near said end of said bed and a second downwardly slot spaced from said first slot a distance equal to said predetermined distance; said first and second slots arranged to receive said first and second riding means respectively, and moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end of said block.

6. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet near one end thereof, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block disposed between said tracks and having a first riding means and a second riding means on each side thereof engaging one of said tracks, an ink-carrying printing medium afiixed to the underside of said block; said first riding means and said second riding means being spaced apart a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first downwardly extending slot near said end of said bed and a second downwardly slot spaced from said first slot a distance equal to said predetermined distance; said first and second slots arranged to r ceive said first and second riding means respectively, moistening means pivotably mounted on the forward end or" said block, said moistening means comprising a hollow body defining a reservoir containing a moistening agent, a moistening roller journalled in said body, and means arranged to feed said moistening agent to said roller.

7. A duplicating machine comprising a bed arranged to hold at least one copying sheet near one end thereof, a raised track on either side of said bed, a block disposed between said tracks and having a first riding means and a second riding means on each side thereof engaging one of said tracks, an ink-carrying printiri medium afiixed to the underside of said block; said first riding means and said second riding means being spaced apart a predetermined distance; each of said tracks having a first downwardly extending slot near said end or" said bed and a second downwardly slot spaced from said first slot a distance equal to said predetermined distance; said first and second slots arranged to receive said first and second riding means respectively, moistening means pivotably mounted on the for- Ward end of said block, said moistening means comprising a hollow body defining a reservoir containing a moistening agent, a moistening roller journalled in said body, means arranged to feed said moistening agent to said roller, said moistening means being biased in an upward direction and having a pressure applying means bearing against the upper surface thereof so as to act against said biasing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,001 Darling Dec. 28, 1880 2,585,311 Grundberg Feb. 12, 1952 

